Preventing Mold in Sugar Water (Bee Feed) - Bee Brew?

[Tucker1]

Just a quick question.  Earlier this spring I put inside of my larger hive a frame type feeder. When I inspected my hives this weekend, the feeder was full of mold and the top section of the hive smelled like an old beer keg.  In fact, the smell was pretty strong. :-P I'm assuming this is due to the sugar water fermenting. The mold was blue green in color. It didn't seem to have affected the bees. Other than the smell, everything seemed to be fine............except I wasted my sugar water feed.

Is there anything that I can do to prevent the fermentation process in my sugar water? Can I add something to the sugar water that will not hurt the bees, but still prevent the fermentation?

Regards,
Tucker

[dpence]

I add a little lemon juice.  It inverts the sugar and helps prevent the mold.  IMHO

David 

[Brian D. Bray]

I add a little lemon juice.  It inverts the sugar and helps prevent the mold.  IMHO

David 

Vinegar will do the same thing but regardless of what you do ignored syrup will ferment sooner or later.  Sometimes whether the bees take the syrup provided can depend on the type of feeder used.  That is one of the main reasons I have gone back to the old tried and true 1 gallon paint can.  1 gallon pickle jar work too, but every commercially style feeder I've ever used as failed eventually and usually a lot sooner.